HONORARY DEGREES, HONORS, AND AWARDS

Consistent with national practice (and the maturation which has occurred since
merger within the University of Wisconsin System), the Board of Regents now
extends to the eleven regional universities the authority to bestow honorary
doctoral degrees on individuals of exceptional accomplishment and distinction
who have made significant contributions to the university, region, state or
nation; or within their field of endeavor. Each of the universities may award
such honorary degrees each year beginning with the 1988-89 academic year, subsequent
to approval by the board, of each institution's written standards, criteria,
and procedures for awarding honorary degrees. Existing or revised policies and
procedures must now be submitted for board approval. No institution is obligated
to award honorary degrees under this policy.

Honorary degree designations shall be limited to the following: A) Doctor of
Laws (LL.D.), B) Doctor of Science (SC.D.), C) Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.),
and D) Doctor of Humanities (D.H.), with the exception that the University of
Wisconsin - Stout may grant an honorary Doctor of Vocational Education (D.V.E.).
As doctoral institutions, UW - Madison and UW - Milwaukee are authorized to
award occasional highly specialized degrees as best reflect the recipient's
accomplishments.

GUIDELINES

Each university shall have an Honorary Degree Committee for which the function
is to consider and recommend candidates for honorary degrees consistent with
procedures, policies and criteria developed at each institution and approved
by the chancellor and the Board of Regents. The University of Wisconsin System
president and the chancellor of the institution shall be ex-officio members
of these committees.

Board approval must be obtained at least two months prior to the commencement
at which the degree is to be conferred. For a spring commencement the nominations
must be received for first reading by the board in February, and for a winter
commencement they must be received not later than the October board meeting.

As a matter of policy the board will limit to one the number of honorary degrees
any individual may receive from the UW System, therefore, the chairpersons of
the several committees shall develop an informal information exchange protocol
to avoid duplication of nominees.
Particular attention should be devoted to the identification of women and minority
candidates for consideration for honorary degrees.

Each chancellor, conjointly with the UW System president, will recommend nominees
to the board.

All activities related to the nomination of candidates, the review of documentation
supporting each nominee, and recommendations to the board must be conducted
with a confidentiality appropriate to personnel matters.

Upon board approval of the institutional nominees for honorary doctorates,
the chancellor invites the candidates to attend the commencement convocation
at which the award is to be conferred. Honorary degrees are not awarded in
absentia.

To insulate the honorary degree from partisanship, to protect the award from
possible conflicts and to protect nominees from possible compromising positions,
the following three categories of individuals are ineligible for an honorary
degree from an institution of the University of Wisconsin System:

a) Public Officials and Political Appointees

Included are serving members of the Wisconsin Legislature and the Wisconsin
congressional delegation; elected and appointed officials; and all members
of the state judiciary.

b) Regents

Included are serving members of the University of Wisconsin System Board
of Regents.

c) University of Wisconsin System Employees

Included are currently employed faculty or staff at each university and
in UW System Administration.

Persons in any of these three categories could be eligible for consideration
two years or more after they have vacated office or terminated employment. However,
emeritus faculty are not eligible for honorary degrees unless they have achieved
distinction in a second career following retirement.

In awarding honorary degrees, the University of Wisconsin System does not assume
any legal obligations. Recipients receive no honoraria, but the institution
shall assume all expenses associated with the recipients participation in the
commencement.